Kafko International

What Kafko International does

KAFKO International, LTD is a Chicago-area, family-owned contract manufacturer and co-packer of specialty chemicals, headquartered in Skokie, Illinois and operating since 1969. The company produces EPA registered products, household cleaning products, automotive chemicals, and industrial chemicals for customers across North America, combining chemical compounding, blending, filling, labeling, and case packing under a single roof. Package sizes range from 0.5 fl. oz. through 55-gallon drums, supported by multiple high-speed filling lines, an on-site analytic laboratory, and GMP quality standards.

The company's service portfolio comprises four core lines: Bottling and Packaging (formula packaging, labeling, and case packing), Private Label Packaging (turnkey formula, packaging, and label customization), Chemical Blending (mixing of high-volume tankers and totes to specification), and Specialty Kits (custom kit and display packaging). KAFKO serves three named customer types, large scale retail brands, start-up entrepreneurs, and global industrial manufacturers, addressing pain points around EPA-compliant manufacturing, flexible volume runs, and accelerated time-to-market.

KAFKO operates a direct B2B sales model with quote-based pricing, a toll-free sales line, and a website-driven Request-a-Quote funnel. The firm is privately held under family ownership, has no disclosed external investors or parent company, and reports no funding rounds, acquisitions, or leadership transitions in the available data. Geographic scope is limited to North America.

Name

Kafko International

Legal name

KAFKO International, LTD

Website

https://kafkointl.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1969

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

KAFKO International is a family-owned Skokie, Illinois contract manufacturer and co-packer of specialty chemicals, providing EPA-registered bottling, private labeling, chemical blending, and custom kit packaging to retail brands, start-ups, and industrial manufacturers across North America since 1969.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Skokie

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Contract Manufacturing & Packaging: Provides bottling, packaging, labeling, and case packing services for customer formulas. Revenue generated through manufacturing fees based on volume and complexity of packaging requirements.
2. Private Label Manufacturing: Turnkey private labeling services including formula customization, packaging design, and label production. Generates revenue through setup fees and per-unit manufacturing costs.
3. Chemical Blending Services: High volume mixing services for tankers and totes to precise specifications. Revenue based on volume of chemicals blended and complexity of formulation requirements.
4. Specialty Kits & Display Packaging: Custom kit assembly and display packaging services for retail and industrial channels.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels2 records

Core offering

Kafko International is a contract manufacturer and co-packer of specialty chemicals, providing bottling and packaging, turnkey private labeling, chemical blending, and custom kit/display packaging for EPA registered products, household cleaning products, automotive chemicals, and industrial chemicals. Production is supported by an on-site laboratory, GMP-quality standards, and multiple filling lines capable of handling package sizes from 0.5 fl. oz. through 55-gallon drums.

Product overview

Kafko International is a contract manufacturing and co-packing company offering a unified portfolio of services for specialty chemicals. The core offerings include: Bottling & Packaging (formula packaging, labeling, case packing), Private Labeling (turnkey customization of formulas, packaging, and labels), Chemical Blending (mixing tankers and totes to specifications), and Specialty Kits (custom kit and display packaging). The company also provides EPA registered products, household cleaning products, automotive chemicals, and industrial chemicals. Package sizes range from 0.5 fl. oz. through 55-gallon drums, serving retail brands, start-up entrepreneurs, and global industrial manufacturers.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Bottling & Packaging Contract packaging service that packages customer formulas, applies labels, and packs finished goods into cases. Designed for retail brands, startup entrepreneurs, and industrial manufacturers needing turnkey liquid packaging from 0.5 fl. oz. through 55-gallon drums.
• Private Label Packaging Turnkey private label service that customizes formulas, packaging, and labels completely for retail, e-commerce, and industrial brands. Suits emerging consumer brands and entrepreneurs launching new specialty chemical products.
• Chemical Blending High-volume mixing service that blends tankers and totes to precise specifications for household cleaning, automotive, industrial, and EPA registered specialty chemicals. Used by industrial manufacturers and brands needing consistent large-batch chemical production.
• Specialty Kits & Display Packaging Custom kit assembly and display packaging service for retail and industrial channels. Tailored to brands needing bundled specialty chemical product kits and point-of-sale displays.

Named customers3 records

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves3 records

Expansion highlights3 records

Direct peers

• Veltek Associates: Veltek Associates manufactures specialty cleanroom chemicals and offers custom contract manufacturing of sterile and disinfectant chemistries under EPA registered protocols. It is directly comparable to Kafko in regulated specialty chemical contract manufacturing with on-site quality laboratory capabilities.
• PakLab: PakLab is a contract packaging and private label manufacturer serving cleaning, personal care, and household product brands with custom formulation, filling, and packaging services. It is directly comparable to Kafko's bottling, packaging, and turnkey private label offerings for consumer chemical brands.

Broad incumbents

• Ashland: Ashland is a global specialty chemicals and additives company serving personal care, pharmaceutical, and industrial markets with formulation expertise. It is comparable to Kafko in specialty chemical formulation capabilities and customer base of branded manufacturers, but operates at significantly larger scale.
• Innospec: Innospec is a specialty chemicals manufacturer producing performance chemicals, fuel specialties, and oilfield chemistries for industrial customers. It is comparable to Kafko in specialty chemical manufacturing serving industrial and consumer-adjacent end markets, but operates as a broad incumbent with proprietary product lines.
• Stepan Company: Stepan is a large public specialty chemical manufacturer producing surfactants, polymers, and specialty products for cleaning, personal care, and industrial markets. It is comparable to Kafko in the specialty chemicals category but operates at much broader scale and sells proprietary products rather than primarily contract manufacturing for others.
• Pilot Chemical: Pilot Chemical is a specialty chemical manufacturer focused on surfactants and antimicrobial chemistries for cleaning, automotive, and industrial applications. It is comparable to Kafko in specialty chemical formulation and EPA registered product expertise, but serves as a broad incumbent with proprietary branded products.

Others

• Brenntag: Brenntag is the world's largest chemical distributor, supplying raw materials and specialty ingredients to chemical manufacturers and contract packagers like Kafko. It is adjacent to Kafko as a key upstream supplier of chemical inputs for its blending and formulation operations.
• TricorBraun: TricorBraun is a large packaging distribution company supplying rigid containers, closures, and components to consumer product manufacturers and contract packagers. It is adjacent to Kafko as a key supplier of bottles, closures, and packaging components for its bottling and filling operations.
• Univar Solutions: Univar Solutions is a leading chemical and ingredient distributor serving industrial and consumer product manufacturers across North America. It is adjacent to Kafko as a key supplier of specialty chemical raw materials used in its blending and contract manufacturing operations.
• IMCD: IMCD is a global specialty chemicals and ingredients distributor serving personal care, cleaning, food, and industrial formulators. It is adjacent to Kafko as a supplier of formulated ingredients and as an indicator of specialty chemical market dynamics in similar end markets.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/kafko-international-ltd-/about

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Kafko International